The BJP on Tuesday said it would back the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government if the NCP and Congress tried to pressurise the Sena to grant Muslim quota by pulling out. The NCP and Congress have said the government will provide five per cent quota to Muslims in education.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the Sena, however, said on Tuesday that the proposal for Muslim quota had not come to him, and when it comes, its validity will be examined.
Senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar told reporters that his party was of the view that reservation cannot be offered on the basis of religion. "The stand the Shiv Sena has taken is right, they are talking about the Constitution. The Constitution does not provide for reservation based on religion," the former state finance minister said.
"What is the crime of Sikhs and Christians if reservation is to be given (only to Muslims) on the basis of religion?" he asked.
The Union government has already carved out a 10 per cent quota for the economically backward classes which covers Muslims and Christians too, the BJP leader said. "I think Uddhav-ji has taken a very good stand. Our alliance with the Sena was based on ideology. The Sena should not worry if the Congress and NCP are pressurising it on the issue," he said. "Even if they leave the government, we will support the government within the limits of this subject," Mungantiwar added.
Minority Affairs Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik had stated in the Legislative Council last week that the government will provide five per cent quota to Muslims by enacting a law. On Tuesday, Thackeray said he had not yet received any proposal in this regard, and the government will examine its validity once the proposal reached him.
However, his cabinet colleague and state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat said his party was committed to giving reservation to Muslims, and the co-ordination committee of the coalition government will discuss the issue.
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